# How can you do this to a child? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 30, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670 "2003-09-30T11:21:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/1 "2003-09-30T11:21:07Z")
I heard [this story](http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/093003/met_13663027.shtml) on the news this morning. Short summary: Woman was arrested and jailed and apparently never told anyone that her 2-year-old was home alone - _for three weeks_!! The father (who was separated from the mother) went to the apartment, had the manager open the door, and there was the child. She survived eating ketchup, mustard, raw pasta, and rice. I’m speechless! Thankfully, the child is being treated for malnutrition. Here’s hoping she’ll be OK physically. What this has done to her emotionally is yet to be seen. Some people should not be allowed to reproduce. ---
**Author:** ![pencilpusher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d6d6ee/32.png) [@pencilpusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pencilpusher)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/2 "2003-09-30T11:29:54Z")
OMG thats horrible! How could anyone do that to a poor child? My Og why do these wastes of air breed? I couldn’t imagine why she didn’t tell anyone the baby was at home. What in the WORLD made her leave the baby home alone in the first place?!?!!?!!??! Damn what a dumb ass. Poor kid. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/3 "2003-09-30T11:45:59Z")
Holy cow. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/4 "2003-09-30T11:52:14Z")
Yep, speechless pretty much sums it up for me as well. :shakes head: ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/5 "2003-09-30T12:36:47Z")
That poor innocent child. I don’t know what more to say. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/6 "2003-09-30T12:49:27Z")
The mother sounds like a candidate for involuntary sterilization. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/7 "2003-09-30T13:14:27Z")
I suppose when reading someone their rights while being arrested, the cops should ask if there are any children/dependant adults that are going to be left alone. When I was about to be arrested, the cop ( keep in mind this is small town Iowa ) actually let me take my kids to a baby sitter before I came in to the LEC. My hubby was able to pick the kids up when he got home from work. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/8 "2003-09-30T14:33:58Z")
There is a normal stage that kids go through of anxiety when the parent leaves but the fears are comforted by the parent coming back. I have a feeling this child had no conception of time so 2 weeks seemed like “forever” and by not having positive re-enforcement of a parent returning (in a timely fashion) will have her skitzy for a long time. Thank God the father found her! I think the child was cery resourceful at the age of 2 to get the condiments and spaghetti. Thank God for the cartoon network too! That at least kept her mind occupied. Poor thing. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/9 "2003-09-30T14:42:53Z")
Has Fox started running Survivor, Kids Edition yet? I think we have a contender. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/10 "2003-09-30T15:49:13Z")
Even more insane is that she had talked to the child’s father during her incarceration and told him that the child was with neighbors! That sounds like attempted murder to me, and I hope she never never never gets that little girl back because she obviously doesn’t deserve her. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/11 "2003-09-30T16:57:32Z")
That is one kid not to be messed with! A two year old taking care of herself? Horrible that she was put in that position but that is one smart kid!!! Thank God they found her and hopefully that evil woman’s parental rights will be terminated pronto. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/12 "2003-09-30T18:35:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil One \* > The mother sounds like a candidate for involuntary sterilization. Bravo, you beat me to it. While forced sterilization absolutely appalls me, scorching this whore’s ovaries with a blowtorch would almost be too good. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/13 "2003-09-30T20:37:03Z")
[In an updated story](http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/093003/met_child.shtml), > [@](#): > > This morning the girl’s father, Ogden Lee, said that she is doing well and is expected to be released soon. > > “I can’t even imagine how hungry she must have been,” Ogden said this morning. The girl ate four pieces of chicken, a cheeseburger, mashed potatoes and drank two pints of milk, Ogden added. She kept waking up hungry throughout the night. It sounds like she’s going to be OK. Thank goodness for her daddy! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/14 "2003-09-30T20:48:00Z")
Poor baby. But if she’s only two, chance are she won’t remember much. I hope. This woman should never be allowed to breed again. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/15 "2003-09-30T21:35:13Z")
Maybe mom will get a beatdown once her cellmates find out what she did … ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/16 "2003-09-30T21:36:11Z")
No argument from me. CNN says that Mom and Dad were in the process of getting a divorce, and that Dad only had visitation rights as of this particular point in the proceedings. I suspect that just changed. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/17 "2003-09-30T21:41:08Z")
Wow, what a pathetic rant. See some story on cnn that everyone will agree is terrible, then run to the pit and offer a four line expresison of your disgust. Thanks for sharing. In other news: Hitler evil, sky blue, sun to rise in the east tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/18 "2003-09-30T21:54:33Z")
Sorry, **Rhum Runner** - I guess I didn’t cuss enough to satisfy you? ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/19 "2003-09-30T22:02:15Z")
FCM, ignore him/her. They’re just pissed that they suck. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670/20 "2003-09-30T22:11:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyChatMom \* > \*\*Sorry, **Rhum Runner** - I guess I didn’t cuss enough to satisfy you? \*\* Cussing isn’t the issue. But, it always helps. I’m just saying this is a pathetic topic to rant about. No one is going to disagree with you, you have no connection to this kid, in short there isn’t anything about this story to distinguish it from the any other horrible situation from anywhere around the world that happens on any given day. In a lot of ways this situation isn’t even that bad, afterall the kid made it, and will probably not even remember in a year or so. Frankly, this is probably the best thing that ever happened to this kid, since now she won’t have to live with her crack-whore mother anymore. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-do-this-to-a-child/204670.md?page=2)